Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
Jeremy approaches Bible teaching with a passion for getting the basic doctrines explained so that the individual can understand them and then apply them to circumstances in their life. These basic and important lessons are nestled in a framework of history and progression of revelation from the Bible so the whole of Scripture can be applied to your physical and spiritual life.
Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
NT Framework - How we can persevere
Jesus did not rely upon His own strength to live here on earth, instead, He modeled for us what we need to do...
More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com
This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).
Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner.
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament Framework. Today a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 2:Why do you say, o Jacob? Why do you assert, o Israel, that my way is hidden from the Lord and the justice due me escapes the notice of my God? They're saying oh well, you know, god doesn't know what's going on in my life. Do you ever feel that way? You act like God doesn't know what's going on in my life. Do you ever feel that way? You act like God doesn't know what's going on or something in your life, like he doesn't care, or something like that. Oh, he knows what's going on, he knows. He's omniscient. Do you not know? Verse 28, here's a whole lot of them. Have you not heard?
Speaker 2:The everlasting God. What characteristic of God? Eternality, right, the eternality, the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth. He does not become weary or tired. What attribute he doesn't get tired. Omnipotence, again, he's always brimful of energy. He never gets tired. I'm like, oh well, that's not like me. I get tired, but he never gets tired. His understanding is inscrutable. Again, what attribute? Yeah, he can penetrate everything. He has penetration, penetrational knowledge of everything. We're wondering if there's quarks or whatever leptons and all this kind of thing. He knows all that. He knows everything that can possibly be known. He gives strength to the weary. Now here it's applicable, right, you get tired? Well, it helps His omnipotence.
Speaker 2:Do you think the Lord Jesus Christ ever got weary? It says he did. What did he have to do when he was weary? He had to turn to His Father to give Him strength. Isaiah 40, 29. You think he didn't have to use the attributes of God? No, the Lord Jesus Christ used the attributes of God every single day of his life, because he's the test pilot for what it looks like to live the Christian life. He is showing us, as in his human nature, that the Christian life can be lived successfully. And he didn't get to cheat. You say well, it's easier for him. No, the moment you said that, you've cut yourself off from the one who said no, I'm showing you the way, I'm showing you how it can be done. He's meditating on isaiah 40, 29. Verse 29 continues to him who lacks might and he increases power though yous grow weary and tired and vigorous young men stumble badly and, of course, chariots of fire quote some of this right. Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. See, the Lord, jesus Christ had to go to passages like this and dwell on the attributes of God. That's how he got through the sufferings and temptations that you and I also go through. He's the test pilot.
Speaker 2:Luke, chapter 4, let's go there. Luke, chapter 4, this is the temptations. They mirror the same three avenues of temptation that were with Eve okay, in the garden, okay, appealing to the lusts of the. You know the various lusts, the three lusts, the lusts of pride of life, the boastful pride of life, and so forth. Luke, chapter four Jesus full of what does it say?
Speaker 2:How does it introduce the temptations? Jesus full of the Holy Spirit. Why does he need to be full of the Holy Spirit? Because he has to depend upon the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life in his creature aspect of his person. So Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan. He was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for 40 days. I like to say the Spirit took him right into the heart of the temptations, didn't he? The Spirit didn't tempt him, but he took him into the position or place where he would be tempted For 40 days.
Speaker 2:He was being tempted by the devil. Most people think there's only just, you know, three temptations. Oh, no, no, no, no. He was tempted the 40 days after he became hungry. It says he ate nothing during these days, and when they had ended he became hungry. Well, yeah, and the devil said to him so this is an opportune moment, right, that's the point of the 40 days becoming hungry. It's an opportune moment. And the devil said to him if you're the son of God, tell the stone to become bread. Okay, son of God must be a statement of deity, right, because humans can't tell stones to become bread. So son of God is a description of deity. Son of man is a description of humanity, okay, so if you're son of God, tell this stone to become bread.
Speaker 2:What's he tempting him to do? What's he trying to tempt him to do? Use his deity Cheat. You can't do this, you can't cheat. So guess what? He's not going to cheat either. He's not going to just start using his creator. He's going to stay as the creature, depending upon the Holy Spirit. Right, and use the Word of God. And so that's what he does, because the Spirit and the Word of God go together. And here it is. And Jesus answered it is written See, where did he go? To the Bible. To the Bible. How are you going to defeat temptations? By going to the Scripture. Okay, this is how the Spirit leads. And it says man shall not live on bread alone. Okay.
Speaker 2:Second temptation he led him up. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. I don't know how he did that, but he did that. And the devil said to him I will give you all this domain and its glory, for it has been handed over to me and was handed over to him by Adam in the garden when he ate and sinned right. So Satan is now the ruler of this world, the prince of the power of the air and all the kings of the world, and so he's offering all the kingdoms of the world all its glory. He says I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if you worship before me, it shall all be yours. So Satan wants to be worshipped as God. Right? And how does Jesus respond? He says he didn't say I'm God. He could have, but he didn't do that.
Speaker 2:Ok, he's going to function in his humanity and he does what he always does, which is quotes. What Scripture it is written you shall worship the Lord, your God, and serve him. Only it is written you shall worship the Lord, your God, and serve him. Only so he defeats temptation number two. And he led him to Jerusalem. He had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple and he said to him if you're the son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it's written he will command his angels concerning you to guard you.
Speaker 2:So now, who's quoting the scripture? Satan, you think Satan doesn't know the Bible? Oh, satan knows the scripture. Satan, you think Satan doesn't know the Bible? Oh, satan knows the Bible. He probably knows the words better than anyone in the room. So he quotes scripture, but what he does is he misinterprets it. He's using it wrongly. Does anybody ever do that? Oh no, of course people do that. Of course people misuse the Bible, just like Satan misuses the Bible. And he quoted another passage. It says and on their hands they will bear you up so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. And Jesus answered and said this what did he use? Scripture, scripture. Jesus Christ had to learn Scripture in his humanity so he could use it to live the Christian life by means of the Spirit, applying the Word of God to the situations at hand and he showed us, as the test pilot, that, oh yes, you can live the Christian life.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spokane Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app, and until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.